04 February 2014

Attorney General Eric Holder delivered a major speech on LGBT rights to the parliament of Sweden—the Riksdag—today in Stockholm. The Attorney General described LGBT rights as one of the "civil rights challenges of our time"and called for an international movement to fight anti-LGBT discrimination.

Holder's remarks are only days before the opening of the Sochi 2014 Olympics. Russia's poor record on human and LGBT rights are likely to continue to dominate news coverage. Video has not yet been uploaded of Holder's speech but two highlights from the transcript:

Just as our forebears came together to overcome tremendous adversity – and to forge the more just and more equal societies in which we now live – so, too, must the current generation rise to the causes that have become the struggles of our day; the defining civil rights challenges of our time. I believe one of these struggles is the fight for equality for our lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender – or LGBT – citizens.

Holder also referenced the Supreme Court's historic decision on June 26, 2013 to strike down Section Three of the Defense of Marriage Act in United States v. Windsor. Section Three banned federal recognition of legally married same-sex couples and denies more than 1,000 benefits, such as Social Security, pension benefits and preferential tax treatment.

This marked a major victory for the cause of equal protection under U.S. law, and a significant step forward for committed and loving couples throughout the country. Today, these couples and their families are one step closer to the equal treatment, and the full recognition, to which they, their loved ones, and their children are entitled.

The speech was "perhaps the strongest statement of his career at the Justice Department in favor of expanding LGBT rights," noted the Washington Post.

The Attorney General also highlighted the Obama Administration's other accomplishments on LGBT issues, such as pushing for the end of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" and protections for LGBT domestic violence victims that were added to the Violence Against Women Act.

Holder also discussed other human rights challenges such as terrorism, human trafficking and gender inequality, economic justice and racial discrimination.

Holder announced on January 10 that the Obama Administration will recognize the 1300 plus same-sex marriages that were performed in Utah—-despite that state's decision not to recognize those marriages pending a decision in the federal court system.

Sweden is generally regarded as one of the global leaders in human rights. It was the first nation to mandate a parental leave act and one of the first to ban discrimination nationwide against its LGBT citizens. Sweden became the seventh nation to mandate equal marriage in 2009 by an overwhelming vote. At least fourteen nations mandate equal marriage today—Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Denmark,France, Iceland, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Spain, South Africa, Sweden and Uruguay. Some jurisdictions in Brazil, Mexico and the USA also allow same-sex marriage. Legislation has been approved to mandate equal marriage in England, Wales and Scotland later this year.

02 December 2013

A "spectacular" holiday weekend for Olympic gold medalist speedskater Shani Davis. The Chicago speedskating hotness won his third straight 1000m event to start the World Cup season. The latest win was Saturday at the Astana World Cup in the central Asian republic of Kazakhstan, reports NBC Sports.

The four-time Olympic medalist Davis took a 1000m in 1 minute, 8.66 seconds, beating surprise Italian Mirko Giacomo Nenzi by .24 of a second. ... Davis was fifth in the 1500m on Friday after taking second and first at the first two 1500m races of the season in Calgary, Alberta, and Salt Lake City, Utah.

Brittany Bowe took gold in the women's competition in Astana.

Davis ended a 15-race winning streak at the World Cup in December 2010. Let's see if he can break record this season.

23 August 2013

Track and field super-phenom LaShawn Merritt strikes a pose after winning gold and regaining his world title in the Men's 400 metres final at the 14th IAAF World Athletics Championships in Moscow. Since his win in Moscow, Merritt also won the 400M at the DN Galan Diamond League last night in Stockholm.

Merritt's time of 43.74 seconds in Moscow makes him the fifth fastest of all time in that event. Merritt boasted a 12 race and 12 month winning streak in 2009 . In one year he won both the Olympic and World titles, as well as gold in the 4x400 relay at Beijing.

Suárez injured his leg during the London 2012 Olympics and still managed to win the bronze. Unfortunately he placed tenth this weekend in the decathlon. The overall winner was American decathlete Ashton Eaton. A few more sporno-tastic images AFTER THE JUMP ...

07 August 2013

Introducing James Ellington, the 27-year-old 100 meter and 200 meter phenom who competed in the London 2012 Olympics. Ellington is seen with R20 crush object deluxe Harry Aikines-Aryeetey at the Sainsbury's British Championships last month in Birmingham.

Ellington retained his 200M title in 20.45 seconds at the British Championships. That means he is headed to the 2013 World Championships in Athletics which begin next week in Moscow. More photos and watch the video where Ellington discusses his win—you'll love the accent!—AFTER THE JUMP ...

31 July 2013

You're welcome! Another day and another serving of British track and field hotness ...

This has been a fantastic month for sprinting and bobsleigh champion Joel Fearon. The 24-year-old has been selected for Britain's bobsleigh team in the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics. "Fearon was part of the four-man team that recorded four top-six finishes during the 2013 World Cup campaign," adds the Coventry Telegraph.

Perhaps the bigger news story is Fearon's bittersweet journey to the World Championships next month in Moscow. Fearon will compete in the 4x100m relay ... after being disqualified from the 100M semi-finals for a false start. Reportedly this is the fifth year in a row that Fearon was invited to the British Championships "for the 100m and bizarrely has never made the final."

16 October 2012

One of the leading players in the WNBA says she will wed her girlfriend next year and will become more vocal about LGBT equality.

Seimone Augustus (right) is a guard for the Minnesota Lynx, a three time WNBA All-Star and won gold medals in women's basketball at the London and Beijing Olympic games. Augustus will wed her fiancee LaTaya Varner (left) in May. The November vote on a proposed constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage in Minnesota prompted her to "speak out ... now", the openly lesbian athlete told the AP.

"I felt like it was the perfect time for me, being on a platform where I can make a change with my voice and my situation," Augustus [said]. "Maybe inspire someone else to come out and be comfortable with themselves. Or maybe someone else's parents will see my parents saying that it's OK to be with your child and love your child unconditionally regardless of your sexual preference."

Augustus came out to supportive parents when she was still in high school and has never hidden the fact that she's lesbian. But it wasn't until she proposed to Varner on Miami Beach that she started feeling comfortable with the idea of taking things public.

"I just never understood why someone else's love life and who they love and who they choose to be with affects so many other people's lives," Augustus said. "Is it a scare of, 'Gay people are going to be running around and everyone's going to turn gay?' I never understood the whole point of opposing or hating someone else's happiness."

Augustus and Varner met in June 2007 There's a beautiful feature in today's Star-Tribune that describes how they met, their first date ("Chicken and waffles") and how they fell in love. "I couldn't see myself with anybody else than her," said Varner.

The couple talks more about their relationship and the marriage amendment in a video interview. Note: Augustus erroneously says that "if it passes" in November, their marriage would be legal. Not true. Same-sex marriages are prohibited by statute in Minnesota. With that aside, it's still a great interview. Watch it AFTER THE JUMP ...

04 October 2012

Puerto Rican featherweight champion boxer Orlando Cruz has come out and become the first openly gay, active fighter in the sport's history. The 31-year-old Cruz represented Puerto Rico in the Sydney 2000 Olympics and boasts a strong professional record of 18-2-1.

Cruz said that he hopes to become a "role model" for youth, reports USA Today.

"I’ve been fighting for more than 24 years and as I continue my ascendant career, I want to be true to myself. I want to try to be the best role model I can be for kids who might look into boxing as a sport and a professional career. I have and will always be a proud Puerto Rican. I have always been and always will be a proud gay man."

Cruz began boxing at the age of 7 and posted an amateur career record of 178-11. He won 7 Puerto Rico National Title’s and spent 4 years on The Puerto Rican National Team. Cruz won 7 Gold Medals, 1 Silver and 2 Bronze in various international tournaments. His amateur career culminated as a representative of the 2000 Olympic Team in Sydney, Australia. 2000 Olympic teammates included former world champions Miguel Cotto and Ivan Calderon.

Cruz made his professional debut on December 15, 2000 and won his first world title on March 22, 2008 and a regional title on October 14, 2011 (WBO Latino Featherweight title). His next fight is scheduled for October 19 in which he will defend his WBO NABO title against Jorge Pazos.

A win against Pazos should position Cruz for a bid to become the world champion in his division. But first the newly-out boxer will sit down next week with Telemundo for an exclusive interview.

Cruz becomes the first openly gay active fighter in the macho and hyper-masculine sport—well known for its homophobic trash talking and homoerotic subtext.

Former welterweight and middleweight champion Emile Griffith came out as bisexual in a 2005 interview. Griffith's personal career includes one of the most controversial professional boxing fights: A notorious fight-to-death with Cuban fighter Benny Paret in March 1962 at Madison Square Garden. Griffith literally beat Paret into a pulp and he died 10 days later. Paret apparently called Griffith a "maricon", the Spanish equivalent of "faggot."

The incident became the basis of the 2005 documentary Ring of Fire: The Emile Griffith Story. In 1992, Griffith was viciously beaten and almost killed after leaving a gay bar in midtown Manhattan.

Meanwhile: The pommel horse hotness is being recruited by the popular television series Strictly Come Dancing. The show is looking to capitalize on Smith's popularity from the Olympics, reports The Sun.

A Strictly Come Dancing source said: "As an athlete, he is fit and dedicated and would be capable of some amazing dance moves. He is also gorgeous which won’t do him any harm when it comes to audience support.He has yet to sign on the dotted line but it’s likely when the line-up is announced next week he will be on the list of contestants."

Smith led Team GB to a bronze medal in the Artistic Gymnastics Men's Team Final at the London 2012 Games. This was GB's first gymnastics team win in 100 years. Smith followed that with an individual silver on the pommel. The pommel horse hotness took bronze at Beijing 2008 and became only the second Black male gymnast to win an Olympic medal.

The gymnast has tweeted a few more interesting snaps—such as hanging out with Kanye West during the London Games and shirtless partying with his mates while on holiday in Marbella.Those AFTER THE JUMP ...